Portable wedge probe for perusing signals on the pins of an IC

Abstract

A portable wedge probe for perusing the signals of an IC is produced by mounting a short row of wedges in a housing that serves the dual purposes of: (1) Allowing the gripping and manipulation of the wedges for inspection, the connecting and unconnecting of interconnecting cables, deployment onto, and removal from, the IC; and (2) serving as the housing for and physical location of electrical interconnection(s) between the portable wedge probe and the cable(s) of the measurement (test) equipment. By the term "short row of wedges" we mean, say, two adjacent wedges for the signal on a single intervening interior pin of the IC, up to perhaps nine adjacent wedges for the eight signals on the eight intervening interior pins of the IC, as opposed to having the row of wedges being long enough to engage the entire side of the IC. The portable wedge probe is free standing once applied, and does not rely upon support from another row of wedges deployed on a different side of the IC.

I claim: 
     
       1. A probe for making electrical connections to the legs of an integrated circuit, the probe comprising: (a) a single row of n+1 tapered wedges, spaced apart by n intervening spacers, that interdigitate with n adjacent legs of an integrated circuit, each tapered wedge having first and second conductive surfaces separated by an insulating medium, the first conductive surface of an interior wedge in the row thereof being electrically connected to the second conductive surface of the tapered wedge adjacent on one side and the second conductive surface of that interior tapered wedge being electrically connected to the first conductive surface of the tapered wedge adjacent on the other side;   (b) a plurality of n pins for receiving electrical connectors;   (c) a plurality of n electrical conductors, each connecting a pin in the plurality of n pins to an electrical connection recited in (a) between a conductive surface on a tapered wedge and a conductive surface on an adjacent tapered wedge;   (d) a housing that seats the single row of n+1 tapered wedges, the plurality of n pins and encloses the plurality of n electrical conductors.   
     
     
       2. A probe as in claim 1 further comprising a flexible insulated conductor having a first electrical connector on one end that engages a pin in the plurality thereof and a second electrical connector at the opposite end. 
     
     
       3. A probe as in claim 2 further comprising a resistance electrically in series with the first and second electrical connectors. 
     
     
       4. A probe as in claim 1 wherein the housing comprises two halves that are glued together. 
     
     
       5. A probe as in claim 1 wherein the housing is a concave container open on one side and filled with a potting compound.